Andri crossed his arms and asked, “So. you’re good with making weapons, Lumi?”

Lumi stopped tickling Eryi and threw a thumbs up.

“For sure, capin’”

Andri looked at the St. Snowsburry Orphanage and asked, “Should we just run away?”

They all looked toward the orphanage in silence and then Lumi said, “Why not? It’s not like they’ll look for us anyway.”

Alba looked at his incredibly pale skin and then said, “It’s not like anyone’s going to adopt a freak like me. My parents barely even wanted me.”

Lumi added, “Has anyone even been adopted at all? I swear only more children are sent here, and none are taken out.”

Andri said, “Personally I wouldn’t adopt a child when the world is doomed anyway.”

They all quieted down and then Alba stood up with a huff.

“Fine. Let’s go.”

Lumi asked, “Without grabbing anything?”

“Grab what? We have nothing,” Andri said.

Andri looked down at Eryi and held out his hand.

“Let’s go.”

Eryi took his hand and stood up, and the group ventured out of the field. They had no reason to run, they knew no one would object to them leaving anyway. They walked through the Berry District, which was more or less deserted, and then entered the Evergreen district. It was the wealthiest district in their city, Tempest.

“Let’s go back to Berry,” Alba said.

“Yeah, we’re never going to find somewhere abandoned to stay here.”

They all agreed and walked back into Berry. Eryi looked down an alleyway while the rest of the group passed by and asked, “What about here?”

The group looked back at him, and Eryi startled. Andri’s gaze was not that of curiosity, but rather disappointment.

“There’s a garage right here… It’s not connected to a house. Maybe we could check it out?”

Andri led Lumi and Alba back to Eryi’s side and looked at the garage he spoke about. It had white paneling that was peeling and withered, and it looked abandoned more or less. Andri pulled up the garage door and dust swarmed at them like a wave. They all coughed and waved their hands to push away the dirt and dust, and walked into the garage. It was far more spacious than it looked outside.

“Oh shit! There’s a couch!” Alba rejoiced as he plopped his body on the dust covered couch.

Alba’s tense muscles relaxed and he muttered, “I’m never getting up again.”

Lumi laughed and then her gaze immediately fixated on a welding station. She walked over and saw that there were still tools there. Her joy was basically radiating off of her. Eryi stood beside Andri and Andri patted him on the head.

“Good job.”

Eryi’s black eyes shone with bliss and a smile grew.

He said shyly, “Thank you.”

“I didn’t expect you to act without me telling you to.”

Eryi’s smile froze and he immediately said, “I’m sorry!”

“Oh, It’s okay, Eryi. You were lucky that you found something useful, just don’t do this again.”

Eryi looked down to his feet and said quietly, “Okay.”

Andri ran his fingers through Eryi’s black hair and then pushed his head around playfully.

“Don’t be so down! You did good, Eryi.”

Andri’s raised tone sent Lumi and Alba’s attention to him.

Lumi asked, “Why is he sad?”

Andri pinched Eryi’s cheeks and said, “He isn’t anymore. Look at his silly grin.”

Eryi truly was smiling and it made Lumi and Alba smile as well. It wasn’t every day that the gloomy, creepy Eryi looked happy. Andri then let go of Eryi and said, “We’re going to need food though.”

“Oh yeah,” Lumi and Alba answered.

Andri said, “Let’s go boys, we’ll go steal some shit. Lumi, can you start making some weapons? I’d like to start as soon as possible.”

Lumi paused.

“Well, I need things too… Actually, I think I’ll be able to find everything in this alley I need for now. Like, I can steal wood from fences and such.”

Andri pushed Eryi and Alba out the garage.

“Well, we’ll leave it to you, Lumi.”

Lumi threw a thumbs up and then the boys walked out the alley.

“Now, let’s think of what we need,” Andri said.

“Food and water,” Alba said. “For bathrooms we can just walk to stores and for showers we can go to truck stops.”

Eryi asked, “Don’t those cost money though?”

Alba shrugged and said, “We can pickpocket.”

Eryi felt his anxiety rise.

Andri asked, “Is this too impossible for you, Eryi?”

Eryi raised his head and said, “I can!”

“Are you sure? I’m having doubts.”

Eryi panicked, “No, I swear I can!”

“Prove it. Go steal something from that gas station across the road and bring it back. If you get caught you can’t be a part of the team.”

Eryi looked at the gas station, then back to Alba and Andri.

“Okay,” he said before walking across the street.

As soon as he entered the store he became hyper aware of everyone’s gaze and movement. His heart thumped wildly and he felt his sweat drip down. He walked to the candy isle, then looked up at the security camera staring back at him. He swiftly looked back down and muttered, “I can’t do this.”

A feeling of doom grew in his gut and erupted through his whole being. Then, a burly man, triple Eryi’s size stood beside him, completely casting his shadow over him. He was blocking the security camera’s view, and Eryi took this opportunity to swiftly stuff two chocolate bars in his pants pockets. His shirt was just long enough to cover them, but still, the chocolate bars bulged under his shirt. He made his way to the door, opened it, then an alarm went off.

“Hey!” The cashier roared.

Eryi turned around and saw a woman standing right behind him looking back as well.

The cashier asked,“Ma’am, can I check your bag?”

Eryi took his chance and left, and no one said a word. He made it across the street and he smiled when he met Alba and Andri’s gazes.

“I did it,” he said, holding the two chocolate bars before him.